Combination measuring tape and pencil



Jan. 3, 1950 J. G. HARMON 2,493,345

COMBINATION MEASURING TAPE AND PENCIL Filed Feb. 27, 1947 Patented Jan. 3, 1950 COMBINATION MEASURING TAPE PENCIL John G. Harmon, Ansonia, Conn., assignor of one-half to John J. Sharkey, Seymour, Conn.

Application February 27, 1947, Serial No. 731,316.

6 Claims.

This invention relates to a measuring tape, particularly a measuring tape of a construction which may be combined with a pencil, pen or the like, although it is not confined to such use, and has for an object to provide a simple, improved construction which may be applied to the end of a pencil, pen, or the like so that the pencil or similar article may be used as a handle in the use of the tape, and in which the structure of the tape mechanism is of such simple construction and light weight as to not interfere with the use of the pencil as such, and will not materially increase the size or bulk of the pencil to make it objectionable to carry in the pocket.

Another object is to provide a construction in which the tape is restrained, so that a flexible steel tape, for example, which, during the winding operation to wind it on a drum, tends to spring outwardly or expand and unwind by itself, to prevent such action of the tape and to facilitate the winding operation.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I have devised the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification. It is, however, to be understood the invention is not limited to the specific de, tails of construction and arrangement shown, but may embody various changes and modificas tions within the scope of the invention.

In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a partial side elevation and partial section of a pencil and tape holding device embodying my novel construction;

Fig. 2 is an end view of the shell enclosing the tape looking from the right of Fig. 1 and with the pencil removed;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the winding element;

Fig. 4 is an end view thereof looking from the left of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a similar View looking from the right of Fig. 3;

Figs. 6 and 7 are a plan and an edge view respectively of the stationary ratchet member, and

Figs. 8 and 9 are a longitudinal section and an end view respectively of the shell for the tape Winding means.

The device comprises a shell it provided with means at one end for securing it to a handle II, which may be a pencil, pen or similar device, and which in the present case is shown as a pencil having a lead at the opposite end and carrying an eraser 13 at the inner end. Various attaching means may be employed, b ha h wn.

comprises a threaded connection M, the end of the pencil casing being reduced as shown at [5, and extremely threaded, with a stop shoulder It at the inner end thereof. This end of the shell Ill has an external diameter substantially that of the casing ll of the pencil or other handle and is internally threaded to thread onto the reduced portion I5 of the pencil or other handle with its end up against the shoulder l6, so that the shell I0 provides a smooth surface providing a continuation of the shell ll of the pencil or other handle.

The other end I! of the shell I0 is open, and extending inwardly from this open end through one side is a longitudinal slot l8 for passage of the flexible tape 19. This tape is preferably a flat steel tape, but of course could be of other flexible material if desired, It is properly calibrated and provided with a scale 20 on each side. It is preferred to make this scale in inches on one side to sixteenths of an inch, thirty-seconds of an inch, or anything desired, and on the other side to calibrate it in inches representing diameters, and to one-hundredths of an inch divisions, the scale indicating the diameter of a cylinder about which the tape is Wrapped. These scales are given, of course, merely by way of example, as the tape may be calibrated to any dimensions or indications desired.

Within the shell I0 is a rotary element 21 forming a winding drum for the tape. It may be of various constructions but in the present arrangement comprises a tubular portion 22 provided with an operating head 23, which, when in position in the shell l0 closes the open end of the shell, as shown in Fig. 1. It is preferred to provide the inner side of the operating head with an annular groove 24 to receive the free edge I! of the shell to guide the member 2| and properly center it, and also to give a better appearance.

Mounted within this shell I0 and spaced inwardly from its open end is a ratchet member 25. This may be of various constructions, but is preferably a fiat disc radially corrugated, as shown in Fig. '7, to provide alternate grooves and ribs 26 and 21 on the surface of the disc. This disc may be mounted in the shell ill by any suitable means, but in the present case the shell is provided with an internal shoulder 28 against which the disc is seated and on which it may be held by any suitable means, such, for example, as soldering, or by bumping in portions of the wall 10, as indicated at 29, Fig. 1. This ratchet m m er has a cen ral open n 0 h h which the tubular portion 22 of the winding member extends, and provides a bearing for its turning movements. This member is longitudinally slotted on its opposite sides, as shown at 3|, and the slot on one side may be extended and of narrower width, as shown at 32. This forms a fastening means for the inner end of the tape |9, shown in Fig. 2. The inner end of the tape may be rolled over as shown at 33, and the tape slid longitudinally into the slot. The rolled over end being larger than the width of the slot 32 forms a convenient means for, securing the inner end of the tape to the winding drum portion 34 of the tube. The slots 3| provide a guide means for a transverse holding member cooperating with the ratchet member 25. This member may be of various constructions, but in the structure shown comprises a transverse pin 35 extending through the slots 3 I, and therefore turns with the member 2|, but projects at its opposite ends beyond the side walls so as to seat in the grooves 26 in the ratchet member to yieldingly hold the wind-up member 2| against turning. This pin is slidable longitudinally in the slots 3| so that it may slide from one radial groove 26 in the ratchet member to another over the intervening ridge or rib 21 and the surfaces of these ridges are preferably rounded or curved, as shown in Fig. 7, so that the pin may readily slide from one groove to another, but still will yieldingly hold the member 2| against turning movement. This holding member or pin is held against the ratchet member 25 by a coil spring 36 embracing the tubular portion 22 and held thereon by a shoulder 31 at the inner end of the tube. This shoulder may be provided in different ways, but it is preferably provided by means of a screw 38 threaded into the inner end of the member 2|. This permits the use of a coil spring, which is the most reliable type of spring to use as it will maintain the proper tension indefinitely and will hold the holding member against the ratchet member 25. It will also be seen from Fig. 1 that it tends to force the wind-up member 2| inwardly or to the right as viewed in this figure, and therefore holds the operating head 23 against the outer or open end of the shell ||l. This greatly simplifies the construction and assembly, and forms a structure which can be depended upon to function indefinitely. The outer periphery of the head 23 may be knurled or otherwise roughened if desired to improve the grip to facilitate turning movements.

In operation of the device, the tape |9 may be readily drawn out and unwound from the drum portion 34 for use. It will be noted in this drawing-out operation the spring 36 is not wound up or tensioned, but that the function of this spring is merely to retain the holding member 35 against the surface of the ratchet member 25, and also to retain the head member 23 against the open end of the shell. The wind-up member 25 and the drum portion 34 therefore merely turn the amount the tape is unwound, and the ratchet members merely hold the rotatable member 2| in any position to which it may be rotated by unwinding of the tape. After use the tape is merely rewound into the device on the drum portion 34 of the wind-up member 2| by rotation of this member by means of the operating head 23. In this operation the ratchet members 25 and 35 also merely hold the rotatable member 2| in any position to which it may be turned. The spring 36 has no tendency whatever to rotate this member. If it were not for this ratchet or holding means, every time the wind-up element 2|, or that is the operating head 23, were released after turning it in the winding up operation for the tape, the spring action of the tape would cause it to expand outwardly and rotate the member 2| with its tendency to unwind, so that the tape and the drum would unwind as fast as it is wound up, due to this spring action and the tendency of the tape to expand or unwind. Therefore it would be impossible to ever wind up the tape. This diificulty is overcome by the spring controlled ratchet mechanism, as upon any turning movement of the wind-up member 2| through the operating head, it is held in this position by the ratchet means until a new grip is secured by the operator for the next turning operation, and so on, permitting ready and complete winding of the tape on the wind-up memher. It also functions in the same way on unwinding of the tape by drawing its free end outwardly from the housing, and yieldingly holds the rotating member 2| in any position to which it may be turned by the action of unwinding the tape.

It will also be seen that this is a very simple construction which can be mounted on the end of a lead pencil or similar device to act as a handle for the tape holder, and which does not materially increase the weight or bulk of the pencil or pen so that it may be readily carried in the pocket in the same manner as a pen or pencil would be carried without it. The shell I!) also provides an effective enclosing and protecting cap for the eraser l3, and with this construction it will be seen from Fig. 1 that the shell ll! may be made of a size and shape that forms a continuation of the outer surface of the pencil or handle member so that it not only is but appears as a unitary structure with an attractive appearance.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A device of the character described comprising a handle, a shell secured to the handle at one end and open at the other end, a ratchet member secured in the shell and spaced inwardly from said latter end, a tube mounted for turning movements in the shell including a head end to close the open end of the shell, a flexible tape wound on the tube between the head and the ratchet and extending through a slot in the side of the shell, a holding member cooperating with the ratchet member and mounted on the tube to turn with it, and a spring on the tube retaining said holding member against the ratchet member.

2. A device of the character described comprising a shell open at one end, a ratchet member mounted in the shell, a tube mounted for turning movements in the shell and provided with an operating head at the open end of the shell, a flexible tape secured to the tube for winding thereon, and extending through a side of the shell, a holding means mounted on the tube to turn with it and engaging the ratchet member to hold the tube against turning, a shoulder on the tube spaced from the ratchet member, and a spring on the tube between said shoulder and ratchet acting to retain the holding member against the ratchet.

3. A device of the character described comprising a shell open at one end, a ratchet disc mounted in the shell, a tube mounted to turn in the disc and provided with an operating head at the open end of the shell, a flexible tape wound on the tube and extending through a side of the shell, said tube being provided with a longitudinal Slot. a transverse pin in the slot resting against the face of the ratchet disc and cooperating therewith to hold the tube against turning, and a spring on the tube holding the pin against said disc.

4. A device of the character described comprising a shell provided with means at one end for fastening it to a handle and open at the other end, a corrugated ratchet disc mounted in the shell, a tube mounted for turning movements in the shell and provided with an operating head at the open end thereof, said tube being provided with a longitudinal slot, a transverse pin in the slot resting against the disc, a shoulder on the tube at its inner end, and a coil spring on the tube between said shoulder and pin and holding the pin against the ratchet disc to yieldingly hold the tube against turning.

5. A device of the character described comprising a shell open at one end, a radially corrugated ratchet disc mounted in the shell, a tube mounted to turn in the disc and provided with an operating head closing the open end of the shell, a flexible tape secured to the tube for winding thereon and extending through a side of the shell, a holding member mounted on the tube to turn with the tube and slidable longitudinally thereon, said member cooperating with the disc to yieldingly hold the tube against turning, a shoulder at the inner end of the tube, and a coil spring on the tube between the shoulder and the holding memher retaining said member against the ratchet disc and retaining the operating head against the end of the shell.

6. A device of the character described comprising a shell provided with means at one end for mounting it on a handle such as a pencil and the like, a member mounted in the shell for turning movements to form a winding drum and provided with an operating head at the other end of the shell, a flexible tape secured to the drum for winding thereon and projecting through a side of the shell, a ratchet member mounted stationary in the shell, and a holding member mounted to turn with the winding member and cooperating with the ratchet to yieldingly hold the winding member against turning in either direction.

JOHN G. HARMON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,257,365 Kumagai Feb. 26, 1918 1,418,696 Briconnier June 6, 1922 1,759,596 Steudte May 20, 1930 1,804,975 Eisenstein May 12, 1931 1,945,842 Witchger Feb. 6, 1934 

